Envelope moistener and sealer



March 15, 1949. J. H. SOLOMON ENVELOPE MOISTENER AND SEALER Filed D60. 27, 1945 awn/M104 smfi atag,

Patented Mar. 15, 1949 STATES PATENT orrlce 2,464,354 ENVELOPE MOISTENER AND SEALER Joseph H. Solomon, Columbia, Pa.

Application December 2'7, 1945, Serial No. 637,300

2 Claims.

This invention relates to desk implements suitable for moistening and sealing the flaps of envelo'pes.

An important object of my invention is to prowide an implement of the above character which is simple and economical in construction and which at the same time is neat and tidy in appearance and use. More particularly the invention contemplates the provision of a water-containing receptacle and a moistening pad upon the handle end of a letter-opening blade with special means for detachably and frictionally maintaining the receptacle in association with the handle.

Other objects will be apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, reference being had to the annexed drawing in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of a combined envelope sealing and. opening implement;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional View of the implement;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional View of an end of the implement taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Figure 4 is a transverse cross-sectional view of the implement taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Figure 5 is a transverse cross-sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2; and

Figure 6 is a plan view of the water receptacle adapted to be used with the envelope sealing means.

In Fig. i. is shown an implement suitable for desk use which may be made of metal, plastic, wood er other suitable material formed at one end with a relatively narrow tapered blade I adapted to engage under the sealed flaps of letters for slitting the flaps, and formed at its other end with a handle 2 upon which is mounted means for moistening and sealing the flaps of envelopes. The blade I and handle 2 extend in substantially parallel planes and are connected by an ofiset portion 3.

The handle 2 near its free end is formed to provide a seat for a pad of absorbent material 4, such as sponge rubber, felt or the like, adapted to retain moisture. To the rear of the pad is secured a small block 5, such as soft rubber, which projects a slight distance above the pad and is provided with a port 6 extending transversely through the block into communication with the pad. A guide plate 1 is secured at one end to the top of the block 5, this guide plate being of a size such as to completely overlie the moisture pad 4 and being inclined in a transverse direction as indicated in Fig. 4, to provide a progressively diminishing space between the top of the pad and the bottom face of the guide plate. The pressure plate is formed along one side, that is, the side of smallest clearance with the pad, with a downwardly disposed lip la.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that by inserting the flap of an envelope between the pad 4 and the pressure plate I and moving the handle lengthwise of the flap, the flap will be guided by the pressure plate into contact with the moistening pad and subsequently pressed into contact with the envelope by the lip la to seal the envelope.

An important object of my invention is to provide convenient means for maintaining the pad 4 moistened and to this end I provide a receptacle 8, shown in Fig. 6, preferably made of transparent or translucent material, such as celluloid or other plastic, so that the amount of water contained in the receptacle may be readily noted by visual inspection. The receptacle may be of elongated cylindrical form and provided upon opposite sides with longitudinally extending wings 8a, composed of the same material as the receptacle.

The handle is curved or recessed to provide a bed 9 disposed lengthwise thereof within which the receptacle is adapted to rest and the sides of the handle flanking the bed are provided with longitudinally extending slots It within which the wings slidably interfit. The bed 9 and slots l0 extend from the block 5 to the offset portion 3 of the handle. The receptacle is closed at one end by a removable cap 81) and projecting outwardly through its other end is a nozzle slightly tapered in a lengthwise direction adapted to tightly fit within the port 6. A small pinhole opening it is located in the wall of the receptacle adjacent the cap 81) for breaking the vacuum within the receptacle.

By virtue of the construction just described, the receptacle may be readily removed from the implement for refilling with water from time to time by simply grasping the cap 8b and pulling the receptacle outwardly along its seat, the wings 8a sliding in the slots I0. After removing the cap and refilling the receptacle, the wings are inserted into the open ends of the slots and the receptacle pushed along its bed until the nozzle 80 wedges tightly within the port it forming a liquid-tight seal therewith.

In order to prevent accidental displacement of the receptacle when the implement is being used, I prefer to incline the slots downwardly with respect to a horizontal plane, as best indicated in Fig. 5, whereby the wings 8a, which are of a stiffiy flexible nature, are flexed slightly to increase the frictional resistance of the wings with the slots to an extent such that the receptacle is firmly held within its bed.

Manifestly various changes in structure and design in the combination envelope sealing and opening implement described above, which is to be regarded as exemplary rather than as restrictive of the invention, may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A desk implement comprising; a handle, an"

the wings when the receptacle is inserted in its bed, said guide slots being disposed angularly with respect to the normal plane of the wings t imart a flexing action thereto and a downward-1y directed lip located upon one side edge of the guide plate for exerting pressure upon the moistened flap of an envelope when the implement is in use.

. 2, A;de sk implement assetiorthin claim 1, including a block secured to the handle rearwardly of the moistening pad and having a port therethrough adapted to slidably receive in sealing relation the nozzleof the receptacle when the receptacle is slid along its bed.

JOSEPH H. SOLOMON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 'Name Date 0, 9- F h ee- -e-e -s O t- 8 1,385,105 Boudette Nov. 1, 1.932 ,.932 384=- Altonn e-e-e "O 33 2,170,182 Anthony Aug. 22, 1939 

